robsblubot

And you think Dempsey is a lot better than Victor?! Whatever... My point about Cahill is not really a point or opinion, but a fact. Cahill's valuation is what it is... same applies to Luiz. Yeah we've seen a lot of teams putting Barca under pressure especially us. Of course it's going to be VERY difficult to put Barca under pressure with our CBs sitting inside our six-yard-box. Even when we beat them we did NOT put them under pressure and it was quite the other way around actually. People apparently have already forgotten Cahill's and Terry's performances under AVB's high pressure/possession game. And I am not saying he was right - it's up to the manager to work with the squad he's got. Just to emphasize that players' form depend on the system used and whether it benefits them or not. I hope I am wrong because if I am right, playing against Barca with him as a CB/CM combo player is going to be very difficult. My personal opinion is that we didn't win the CL because of a solid defense, because of Cahill, Luiz, or Mata. We won because we had a very special player in the team and that was Drogba.

What you define as a mistake is very different than what I define as one. At the end of the day, each player has his own strengths and weaknesses. Victor's was not a mistake the same way Dempsey's header wasn't one either. You call them mistakes and I disagree. The better teams I've seen play the game realize it's impossible to stop the truly great players - who you eventually have to face if to win anything of importance. BTW, mediocre players CAN have great moments, just not as often. So, they've realized that the only way to stop a Messi or a Ronaldo is to keep the football away from them. It is to anticipate and pressurize them so that they don't have time to think and no time on the ball. Our defense does exactly the opposite - very Jose. Yes he's a terrible defender according to the same pundits, because he can do no right. We should let him go for free... no wait... apparently we are waiting for the "right offer" in the 30 million... kinda steep for a bad defender. Right because every club in the world plays exactly the same way. That's why other clubs are lining up offers for Cahill Since we are guessing stuff now, how do you think he's going to do if and when he moves to Barcelona?! Would their style of play maybe, just maybe, suite his own style a bit better than Jose's? Same as DL did better for Chelsea under different conditions and management? Does anyone remember Terry and Cahill playing a very high defense line under AVB?! I do. My money is that he's going to be massive for Barcelona, which is the reason I wouldn't sell him to them. Offer him to PSG for example or even Bayern who seem to have shown interest as well (such a bad defender). Ppl here say JT and Cahill are the best CB pairing in Europe and I couldn't disagree more. There was a recent article talking about why RM's pairing is the best in the world and I have to agree. Our CBs can only play one way: very deep. RM's can play deep and high up the pitch that allows them to switch styles during a match with the same players without losing anything. To the insane poster below me, it is you who have to do the convincing, of why top clubs want to acquire such a bad player as you describe him.

Same as last game against Fulham where John Terry let Dempsey head the ball inside the box. Victor's play and movement was actually a lot better than Dempsey's who was mostly static. These types of "errors" take place all the time otherwise there wouldn't be goals. If DL had made the same mistake the announcers would've been all over him. That's why I think he should leave ASAP.

Or perhaps we could see how Andre would do with a good run of games as a striker - reckon he won't do much worse than the other strikers at the very least. The big question is whether Andre will be comfortable playing with his back to the goal, which is certainly needed at times. -- BTW, really donn't get all the praise Cahill got - he was OK along with Iva, and did not look that comfortable in possession once we got our defense line up the field in the second half. He was again better than Terry though (allowed Clint's free header); Terry who seems to be tiring a bit lately. From the back line Azpi was once against the better player. Also, Fulham was as bad as I expected them to be. Bent is one of the worst strikers I've ever seen play the game.

Luiz is recovering from a groin pull - should not play until 110%.... Could lose him for the rest of the season. Mikel was the right move but he needs to step up.

Getting him to bulk a bit is 1000 times easier than improving the technique of a poor player. Andre is a good player -just needs time to adapt.

Defensive line playing higher and we are applying more pressure- it even looks like we want to win this...

yes that's exactly what I meant as I have no intention of revisiting old discussions. Fair enough, on the disagreement. I don't think it's as binary as you are making it out to be. As you commit more players forward, by say playing DL in defense/middle (or say Matic!), you lose defensively, but it's not all or nothing. The balance has got to be different when playing a shitty side like Fulham vs a City. How about at half time? Say it's 0x0 at half time would that be the time to commit more players forward? IMO getting this balance right is one of the most difficult things for head coaches. Staying in the PL, Arsenal is a club that commit more players forward from the get go and they are doing fine, esp against these types at home. They do struggle away from home against tough opponents, perhaps because they don't know how /don't want to be more defensive when needed. Just a reminder, City is yet to play a game, so we are "temporarily" top of the table. The PL's going to be a tight affair as the table suggests. I reckon dropping points against Fulham won't do us any good.

Please spare me of your rhetoric and address the points I made. So you think we need solidity at the back to play Fulham at home. Ok, I completely disagree. For me losing 2 points to Fulham at home is just as bad as losing 3. If we are indeed title contenders that is.

Scolari and a bunch others are already waiting in line. Anyone who expects JT and Cahill to play every single game until the end of the season should be tested as well. You increase the odds of scoring by incurring into more risk (of conceding)... very simple concept if you think about it. You do that by committing more players forward, like unleashing an attacking-minded defender if you've got one. I'll make it very simple: David Luiz would play in midfield even though officially he will start in defense. It also helps that we play a defensive-minded fullback next to him. That's how Brazil overwhelms the smaller teams in the WC (by committing players forward) and we should learn how to do the same - cannot drop points (by not beating) these bottom feeders.

David Luiz in defense; Ramires/Matic and Lamaprd (if fit) or even Oscar (if fit) as a CM. Against a weak side - Fulham are the weakest - you gotta press high and go all-in from the get go. We have to have enough players committed and going forward to overwhelm them. Arsenal does that very well when playing at home, though they mistakenly try to do the same away too.

You know MIkel is really like 37 years old, right? That would explain why Lampard, 35, is far more mobile....

lol the fact African nations dominate in U21/U23 competitions and basically don't exist at senior levels also suggests it is something frequently done. This has nothing to do with racism, but environment. Speaking with a colleague of mine here, who's originally from India, it all boils down to whether birth records are well kept or not. Because if they are not, then it's really up to the ppl to say when they were born. And we know people never lie for money...

Agreed, but Oscar wasn't 100% fit.

Our finishing wasn't good enough in the first half. Also, we just can't keep the football well enough and that puts us under constant pressure specially away from home. No, we don't need to play like Barcelona with those boring short passes for 90+ minutes, but there are times when keeping the football is important; say after you score a goal and want to put pressure on the opponent as it can become an ordeal to try to score without the football. Although I don't quite buy what Jose said about our chances in the PL, I don't really think we have a shot at CL with our best (in form) players cup tied - not to mention some areas in where we are a bit thin. Galatasaray's tie is really irrelevant as they are not contenders.

there you go Torres show it to the old man!!! * Jose's master plan already working.... "my strikers can't score goals"

lol at the comments... it's really irrelevant whether Terry touched the football or not - his actions made the goal. Bravery, athleticism (?!), and technique all in a split of a second....I'd just thank him for the 3 points. BTW, a team becomes dangerous (capable of winning silverware) when it wins matches when not playing well; when it finds ways to win a match.

*if* that is the case then he will indeed be gone because he's nowhere ready to be our #1 striker. He wouldn't do any better than the ones here now - not worse either though.

Costa, Lukaku, Didier (player/coach) plus Andre should be a lot better than what we've got now.

There is always the possibility, however unlikely, that Jose is not THAT upset about the conversation being made public...

lol BTW, I support Gremio from my hometown Porto Alegre in southern Brazil. Alex Telles is a very promising young attacking fullback who can't defend to save his life. And that has been said in Brazil where most fullbacks can't defend to save their lives.... He actually works better in a 3-5-2 system, so he doesn't have to stay much. He can certainly develop that aspect of his game (defending is easier to develop), but it will take a couple/few years no doubt.

think about it... 6th best in England and Mourinho would have been fighting for his job. [yes an exaggeration to make a point] It's not so much about the players themselves, but rather the investment and the pressure that follows. If the investment made is for a top 3 position, can a manager justify a 6th or 7th position? Sometimes football is all about the numbers... boring isn't it?

My 2 cents: There is a reason for the "last man” rule: it’s so we don’t end up watching goals from Pks all the time, as defenders and Gks would always go for the foul to exchange a sure goal for a penalty kick. The red cards were not accidents! They were caused by attacking movement. They were forced errors, not mere “mistakes.” Odds are Arsenal and City wouldn’t have had players sent off were they playing Hull at home….

While I completely agree with what you wrote, I'm not sure I can see Jose letting Cech go in the season he claims we are going to be ready for (next one). Wondering if something can be worked out with Cech -like a long term contract Rotation/backup... far fetched I know.

Good post, but I don't buy the "beaten out of him" bit though. And although he is better for Nigeria, I'd not say he's great for Nigeria. Actually, I've heard some (Brazilian) analysts saying during the Conf cup that Mikel was essentially the only good player Nigeria had. Nobody is telling him to not present himself at all times. Even if he's been told not to make forward runs, which I find difficult to believe. He could be far more mobile in the area of the pitch where he roams. It's all on him for me..